The new aerial intelligence could provide critical aid to reinvigorate the stalled Iraqi offensive

NEW YORK, March 26. /TASS/. Washington started providing Iraq with aerial intelligence in an effort to speed up ousting Islamic State militants from Tikrit, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) wrote on Tuesday.

"The intelligence will be used to help some 20,000 Iranian-backed Shiite militia fighters who make up the bulk of the force that has been struggling for weeks to retake the strategic city," WSJ said. "At the request of the Iraqi government, the US military began providing aerial video of the city," it added.

"The US involvement could pave the way for American airstrikes in Tikrit," WSJ wrote. The new aerial intelligence could provide critical aid to reinvigorate the stalled Iraqi offensive.

The Iraqi military launched a military offensive to free Tikrit from Islamic State militants on March 2, but radicals still control most of the city.